Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Cope Field by T.L. Simpson - OPTIONAL

Cope Field
by T.L. Simpson,
272 pages. Flux 2025 $15.00 

Language: R (200+ swears 19 'f'); Mature Content: PG (some kissing); Violence: R (physical abuse, murder (described), injuries detailed) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

17yo Crawford is the star pitcher of his high school baseball team in Arkansas. Of course he is! His dad pitched for the Royals! But Craw is in trouble, he has anger management problems - brought on by abuse, and he has hit his dad in the head with a bat. Any other kid would have gone to juvie, but Craw's dad knows lawyers and the sheriff and the judge, so they were lenient. Craw has been sentenced to 300 hours of community service. This is where he meets Hannah, also serving community service. Craw has a lot going on at home, and a lot of secrets he's been keeping his whole life. Hannah likes to talk, she'd love to help Craw by getting him to talk too. 

Right from the beginning, I was into the story and on Craw's side. What would make a kid hit his father in the head with a bat, and why would the judge act like it was no big deal? Good sports action and a sweet love story. Lots of swears, there is violence against children but is mostly off page (the worst of it), except for a cold-blooded murder that is described. Worth addng to the Sports Fiction - baseball boys will love this. The characters default white. 

Lisa Librarian  

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